Viper DS4+ SmartStart Pro With Remote Start Alarm System Review

There’s a saying: You get what you pay for. When it comes to electronics, this is usually the case. The best isn’t cheap, but it’ll last. And in the long run it’s worth every penny. When it comes to car alarms, one of the best is Viper. I’ve used Viper for almost 30 years. I’ve seen some great new features. I had a standard Viper alarm system on my first car. So when given the opportunity to review their new DS4+ system, we naturally jumped at the opportunity. It’s their new DS4+ system with SmartStart Pro.

 

Features and specs:

Remote Confirmation: Priority Icon Map with LCD Display

Remotes: Includes 1-Way Companion Remote

Range: Up to 1 Mile

Security

Remote Start

Keyless Entry

Trunk Pop

SmartStart Compatible

Encryption

SuperCode™

Domelight Supervision

Stinger DoubleGuard Shock Sensor

Neo Revenger 6-Tone Siren

Failsafe Starter Kill

Anti-Carjacking (VRS)

Guaranteed Protection Plan (GPPP)

# of Auxiliary Channels: 4

6-Tone Mini Siren

Shock/Tilt Sensor

Features:

Viper SmartStart-ready

Viper SmartStart GPS Enabled

Location/Speed Tracking

Keyless entry

Virtually unlimited range!

Specifications:

Lock / Arm: Yes

Unlock / Disarm: Yes

Remote Car Starter: Yes

Trunk Release: Yes

Panic: Yes

Aux Channels Compatible: Yes

Viper Motor Club: Yes

SmartPark: Yes

Car Location: Yes

Car Speed: Yes

Speed Alerts: Yes

Lockdown Alerts: Yes

Social Media Check-in: Yes

SmartFence: Yes

HotSpot: Yes

Car Status: Yes

SmartSchedule: Yes

Approximate Weight:

Shipping: 1 lbs

 

Viper’s new DS4+ system is a simple system that is basically modular. You design it on what you need. You could just get remote start, or just an alarm. You could get both alarm, remote start, and SmartStart as well. Having a 2017 Nissan Titan, it came with just keyless entry. So for review Directed provided the D9756V alarm, DS4SU security upgrade, DS4VP Digital Remote Start, SmartStart Pro, and the THNING harness for Nissan. The D9756V provided two remotes, one of which is a 2-way LED remote. I love the 2-way LED remote. Just looking at the display, you can see if it’s locked or not. The DS4SU security upgrade provided the siren, as well as the digital shock, tilt and temperature sensor.

 

The remote start is a really cool feature, especially depending on climate. You can set a timer and the remote start will start your vehicle and have it idle for up to 12 minutes. After that time it automatically shuts down. That way if you end up not leaving and forget, your vehicle doesn’t accidentally idle all day! If you live in a hot or cold environment, the remote start is a great help, to get your vehicle cooled off or heated up, depending on where you live.

While these are all really cool features, things get really cool with the SmartStart! It works with not only GPS, but cellphone networks, so a plan is required. With SmartStart Pro, the Premium plan is required. Just download the app for your smartphone, and you will have all of the control at your fingertips. You get a lot of control, and security. It gives you alarm, and disarm, remote start, and a ton of other features. These include SmartAlert, Vehicle locator, Speed Alert, LockDown, and low battery alert. There’s even SmartPark, Parking Meter, and Social Media Check-in.

 

The Viper SmartStart Pro is definitely loaded with useful features. SmartAlerts will send you a text and email when something is not right, such as alarm trigger, or low voltage. Vehicle locator is a map that shows your vehicle’s current location. Speed alert will notify you via text and email if the designated max speed has been exceeded. Lockdown will notify you is the vehicle leaves the designated area. The SmartPark and Parking Meter features are also really cool. It remembers your vehicle’s location, just in case you forget. And it can even start a timer, that way you know how much time is left on your meter. Updating your location on social media is really easy with the Social Media Check-in.

 

If you have teenage drivers, the Viper SmartStart Pro can easily be seen as a necessity! After all, it can be your eyes on the road to monitor your teenage driver. You can be notified via text and email whenever they speed. Are they grounded from going to their girlfriend/boyfriend’s house? Just set up an electronic fence that does not have their house in the boundaries. So if they do go outside of the fence to see their girlfriend/ boyfriend…you’ll get a text and email. And if they took off in the vehicle without permission, you’ll also know exactly where they are.

I really love the versatility that the complete Viper alarm with SmartStart Pro provided. It’s foundation as an alarm is top notch. It’s SmartStart also worked great. And if you have teenage drivers that you want to be able to monitor, it delivers that in spades. And I absolutely love the app! Through the app, I can see the current status and see if the alarm had been triggered. If it ever gets stolen, I know exactly where it’s at. My wife also isn’t as good at remembering to turn on the alarm as I am, so if she takes the truck to the store, I can check through the app to make sure it’s armed. And if she forgot to arm it, I can actually arm it from home through the app!

The app itself is also very easy to use. From the home screen, you have options to lock, unlock, panic, trunk, map and SmartStart. They are all pretty self-explanatory. The map button pulls up a map to show where our vehicle is. The top left corner has an alert button that will take you to a screen with the alert history. At the bottom of the Alert Page is the Manage Alerts button. Pressing the Manage Alert button takes you to the Manage alerts page. Here you can choose to receive notifications for low battery voltage. You can also set up to receive notifications if the vehicle moves, goes over a set speed, or goes out of a set location boundary. And there are options to actually have two different smart fences for location boundaries. And touching the vehicle name in the top right corner takes you to a vehicle page, that shows you the last command, the current status, and vehicle settings button at the bottom of the page. The very top left corner holds the menu button. From the menu button you access SmartSchedule, where you can schedule to have your vehicle start automatically based on schedule or temperature. 

The Viper SmartStart Pro system doesn’t just have great features, it also works as advertised. The alarm worked great and was sufficiently sensitive. When it was triggered, I got both a text and email notification. The remote start also worked great. The map feature also worked well. The SmartStart app worked great! I was pleasantly unsurprised. I say that, because Viper has the reputation for delivering it in spades. And this shows that they continue to do so.

 

If you are worried about vehicle security, or just want to add functionality such as remote start to your vehicle, Viper should be on your short list. Not only does it work well, but it also has a great reputation. They also don’t just bask on their reputation. It shows with great quality new products. Based on it’s design, features, quality and performance, the Viper alarm with SmartStart has earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For m ore info and complete specs, check out their website at www.viper.com.